The Dark Crystal
The Dark Crystal is a 1982 high fantasy adventure film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz and stars the voices of Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw, Percy Edwards, and Barry Dennen. The plot revolves around Jen, an elf-like "Gelfling" on a quest to restore balance to his alien world by returning the lost shard of a powerful but broken gem. It was marketed as a family film but was notably darker than the creators' previous material, and it was heavily influenced by the new age movement. The animatronics used in the film, however, were considered groundbreaking. The primary concept artist was fantasy illustrator Brian Froud, famous for his distinctive fairy and dwarf designs. Froud also collaborated with Henson and Oz for their next project, the 1986 film Labyrinth. The Dark Crystal was produced by Gary Kurtz, while the screenplay was written by David Odell, who had worked with Henson as a staff writer on The Muppet Show. The film score was composed by Trevor Jones. The film was produced by ITC Entertainment, the British production company responsible for producing The Muppet Show. The film earned mixed to positive reviews from multiple critics, particularly commenting on its special effects. Plot A thousand years ago on the planet Thra, a magical crystal cracked, and two new races appeared: the malevolent Skeksis, who use the power of the "Dark Crystal" to continually replenish themselves, and kind wizards called Mystics. Jen, an elf-like Gelfling taken in by the Mystics after his clan was killed, is told by his Mystic master that he must heal the Crystal, a shard of which is held by the astronomer, Aughra. If he fails to do so before the planet's three suns align, then the Skeksis will rule forever. The Skeksis' emperor and Jen's master die simultaneously. A duel ensues between the Skeksis Chamberlain and General, both of whom desire the throne. The General wins, taking power and exiling the Chamberlain. Learning of Jen's existence, the Skeksis send large crab-like creatures called Garthim to track him. Jen reaches Aughra and is taken to her home, which contains an enormous orrery she uses to predict the motions of the heavens. She has a box full of shards, from which Jen selects the correct one by playing music on his flute to cause it to resonate. Aughra tells Jen of the upcoming Great Conjunction, the alignment of the three suns, but he learns little of its connection to the shard. Suddenly, the Garthim appear and destroy Aughra's home, taking her prisoner as Jen flees. Hearing the call of the Crystal, the Mystics leave their valley to travel to the Skeksis' castle. Jen meets Kira, another surviving Gelfling who can communicate with animals, and her pet Fizzgig. They discover that they have a telepathic connection, which Kira calls "dreamfasting", and share memories of being forced from their homes. They stay for a night with the Podlings, who raised Kira after the death of her parents. The Garthim raid the village, capturing most of the Podlings, but the two Gelflings and Fizzgig flee when the Chamberlain stops the Garthim from attacking them, intent on winning their trust. Jen and Kira discover a ruined Gelfling city with ancient writing describing a prophecy: the shard Jen carries must be reinserted into the Dark Crystal to restore its integrity. They are interrupted by the Chamberlain, who claims that the Skeksis want to make peace and wants the Gelflings to return to the castle with him, but they distrust him and refuse. Riding on Landstriders, the Gelflings arrive at the Skeksis' castle and intercept the Garthim that attacked Kira's village. While trying to free the captured Podlings, Kira, Jen, and Fizzgig descend to the bottom of the castle's dry moat and use a lower-level entrance to gain access. They are followed by the Chamberlain, who repeats his peace offer; when the Gelflings refuse again, he buries Jen in a cave-in and takes Kira to the castle. The General reinstates him to his former position, and the Skeksis' Scientist tries to drain Kira's life essence for the General to drink so that he can regain his youth. Aughra, imprisoned in the Scientist's laboratory, tells Kira to call for help from the animals held captive; they break free in response, releasing Kira and causing the Scientist to fall to his death. His Mystic counterpart simultaneously vanishes. Aughra also escapes, and later rescues Fizzgig. The three suns begin to align as the Gelflings reach the Crystal's chamber and the Skeksis gather for the ritual that will grant them immortality. Jen leaps onto the Crystal but drops the shard, and Kira throws it back to him but is mortally impaled by the Skeksis' high priest and dies. Jen inserts the shard into the Crystal, fulfilling the prophecy just as the Mystics enter the Crystal chamber. The castle's dark walls crumble away to reveal a structure of bright crystal and before Jen's eyes, the Mystics and Skeksis merge into tall glowing beings, known as urSkeks. The leader of the urSkeks explains that they had mistakenly shattered the Crystal long ago, splitting them into two races and decimating Thra, and that Jen, in fulfilling the prophecy, has restored them. The urSkeks revive Kira in gratitude for Jen's heroism, and then ascend to a higher level of existence, leaving the Crystal to the Gelflings on the now-rejuvenated Thra.